Wind farm setbacks won't be changed

CATHARINE SCHAIDLE

Friday

May 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMMay 29, 2009 at 7:12 PM

Residents who spent weeks researching and discussing wind farm issues were dealt a blow Thursday when the Woodford County Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously against larger setbacks of wind turbines.

Residents who spent weeks researching and discussing wind farm issues were dealt a blow Thursday when the Woodford County Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously against larger setbacks of wind turbines.

In denying the motion, the five-member board voted against amending the wind farm ordinance so that towers would be set at least 1,800 feet back from any adjoining structure, and at least 1.1 times the tower height from a dwelling structure.

The motion by the Conservation, Planning and Zoning Committee of the Woodford County Board to amend the ordinance also called for the wind farm towers to be set back at least 1,800 feet from public roads and at least 1.1 times the tower height from third party transmission lines and communication towers.

The county's current ordinance calls for turbines, some planned to be more than 400 feet tall, to be placed no closer than 750 feet to occupied structures but can be closer to roads and property lines.

For two consecutive weeks, residents addressed the safety issues revolving around the need for larger setbacks and cited various studies to make their point. There were fewer people at Thursday's public hearing at Eureka High School than the previous week.

Various residents reported on setback ordinances from the U.S. as well as European nations that call for turbines to be placed between 1,200 feet and more than 4,000 feet from adjacent properties or homes.

But in the end, the decision came down to the need for economic development.

"One thousand, eight hundred feet is going to curtail any wind farm development in Woodford County," said ZBA Commissioner Danny Davidson after the meeting. "I don't think there's any question about that. I think anybody who goes with that (motion) is looking to put a halt to wind farm development in Woodford County."

At last week's public hearing, Wanda Davies, director of Midwest development for Navitas Energy, said the amendments were basically "an anti-wind development ordinance."

Although he voted against the 1,800 foot setbacks, ZBA Chairman Bob Harbers said, "We didn't want to legislate wind farm developments out of Woodford County, but it should still be made safer."

The CP&Z committee should work with wind farm developers to come to a compromise that would increase the setbacks, but not to the extent recommended, he said.

Although she was disappointed, Carlock resident Sharon McDonald said, "This was totally expected."

Mary Truax, also of Carlock, who had testified for 1,800-foot setbacks, agreed the board's decision was disappointing "but not surprising."

Joe Kirkpatrick, board president of the Fieldcrest Community School District, said the wind farms would bring $1 million in additional revenue to the district and possibly up to a 13 percent drop in taxes.

The ZBA's recommendation will be brought before the full County Board in June.

Catharine Schaidle can be reached at 686-3290 or cschaidle@pjstar.com.

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